Seeking Solace
by Foxieglove
Summary: The Black Pearl is caught in a wild storm. Is it possible for a man to calm the angry sea?


-1Everything shifted to the left sharply, nearly sending him out of his bed.

Pintel managed to grab on to the canvas, waking in time to keep from crashing out of it. He blinked wearily and looked about in the dark hold. Others were still asleep, having ridden out worse at sea, though they slept uneasily. He heard Marty curse softly in the next hammock over and roll over.

There was another collision of elements above that shook the Pearl, but Pintel only scowled. He was more irritated at the lack of sleep than concerned with the severity of the storm. Ragetti was probably shaking in his sheets. Smirking, he looked at the hammock strung up next to his. True enough there was a heap of rough canvas piled over the younger man's head.

A flash of lightning coming through the gun ports illuminated the hold for one brief moment and Pintel felt a sudden chill. His smirk faded as he realized that the hammock was occupied _only_ by rough canvas and _not_ the lanky pirate that had laid down in it at lights out. Pintel leapt off his hammock and tossed the blankets aside to make sure.

Cursing, he hauled himself toward the stairs, lurching unevenly with the swells as he climbed the slippery wood to the level above. It was slicked with rain but not as bad as what would be on deck. Maybe the fool had gone to the galley or the gunwale or some other part of the hold. He'd never be daft enough to go up there during a gall like this.

Pintel searched and was again proven wrong. Ragetti was nowhere beneath the deck of the ship which left one horrible realization. He barreled up the last of the stairs, sick feeling in his gut not helped any by the tossing swells.

Once he cleared the deck he stopped with his hand still on the stair railing to gawk at the port side. Ragetti was standing at it, lips moving and eyelids closed against the violent spray of waves coming up over the side. Waves big enough to sweep a man into the sea. Pintel's heart leapt up to his throat and he rushed forward. A hand gripped his jacket and yanked him back.

"Belay that, Master Pintel. He's busy!"

Forgetting himself, Pintel whirled on Barbossa. "Are ye daft? I got to get 'im! 'E could fall over-"

"As I thought me-self when I saw him on deck, but 'tis not the case!" Barbossa yelled over the wind. Did not release his hold on him and at another crash of water against the port side, Pintel forgot all about the Captain and turned his eyes to Ragetti. He was still there, shivering and speaking lost words into the wind. "He's talking to _her_."

It took a moment, but Pintel realized what Barbossa meant. His yellowed eyes widened with disbelief and just as quickly narrowed. "Calypso? Wot for?"

Hector's grin was visible in the flashing storm. He didn't answer Pintel, but turned his face to watch. The storm was ebbing, barely, and some of Ragetti's words could be heard. The man had not been whispering after all. Pintel could hear the hoarseness in his voice as he continued to shout to the sea-goddess over the gales.

"Na, na, na! 'E didn't mean it when he said that. I think it's jus' a bit o' insecurity, wot with all the bad history 'twixt the two of ye. Takes more time for a man t' git over that, ye know?" Ragetti frowned in consternation. "Well o'course he still loves you!"

It had stopped thundering and now the wind didn't hammer as much against Pintel; a harsh whisper compared to before.

"Me n' Pint, we 'ad our bad fights. 'Specially when we was cursed. A tiff ain't the end o' tings. Ye both been through a lot o' hell an' it's just gonna take some time before everythin' evens out again. I think ye'll do awright this time, so long as ye really want to."

Pintel's mouth had dropped open and stayed there. He heard Barbossa chuckle softly as the wind died completely, leaving only a churning sea.

"Ta' then," Ragetti said, grinning back at something neither Pintel or Barbossa could sense. His eye opened. Cautiously Pintel moved toward him, as did Barbossa. Rags looked at them both after a moment, wind still ruffling his hair. "She was upset," he explained.

"Aye. We could tell," Hector said dryly.

Pintel looked as though he might explode, face red and searching for a good enough insult to lash out at him with. Ragetti transferred his gaze to him, looking utterly lost as to why Pintel would be angry at him. That was all it took for Pintel to lose the tail of his anger. He let it out in one great puff through his nostrils.

"Come to bed, then, if yer finished having' yer heart t' heart in the middle of a blasted hurricane!" he finally managed, though he didn't sound half as angry as he wanted to.

Rags followed along stammering protests as Pintel pulled him by the arm toward the hold. Barbossa watched after them for a moment, smirking, turned his gaze back to the calm ocean. It appeared as though he had a bit of insurance aboard his ship. He planned on keeping it that way.


End file.
